Peter Dunne has finally announced proposed changes to the child support regime in order to make it fairer. He admits that “on something as contentious and as emotionally charged as child support… it is not about trying to please people. It is about creating a system that people feel is fundamentally fair, and crucially, that they feel is for the benefit of their children. If we get those two factors through to people, then we have succeeded, and I believe we are doing that here.”
Aside from the obvious contradiction there (‘not trying to please people… but about creating a system that people feel is fundamentally fair’: in my experience, people are pleased with a fair system, and not with one that isn’t), I don’t think anyone would disagree with the sentiment. As Revenue spokesman, I get many e-mails from people who believe they are being ‘ripped off’ by a discriminatory child support regime.
Three points I would make however:
1. Two and a half years ago Dunne said he would complete a review of the system in 6 months. What took him so long?
2. Dunne’s IRD is undertaking a round of redundancies (16 front line staff in Napier alone) and yet they are about to restructure the child support system… Does that mean ‘more with less’? Give me a break.!
3. Most importantly, Dunne has said that the changes to the system will be in legislation introduced to Parliament in the next few months. There are only four sitting weeks left this term. This is incredibly important legislation because over 200,000 NZ children rely on child support payments. I hope like hell this isn’t something that Dunne and the Nats are planning to introduce under urgency.
I am not saying there doesn’t need to be changes to the child support system, because there quite obviously does (of the approximately $2b in child support debt, under $200m is actually principle). But any legislation reforming the child support system needs to go through the proper parliamentary process; e.g. public select committee where all NZers can have their say.
The real shame of all this: if Dunne had done what he said he would do, then we would have had this whole system reformed months ago. Wonder why he hasn’t…
Half measures are worse than no measures. Give the man time to get it right.
Agreed with all that you wrote Stuart
Child support has been a disgrace for a long time Stuart.
A. How long were you an MP in power?
B. What did you do during that time to effect change?
We are all aware that policy change is painfully slow. What point in ‘proper parliamentary process, select committee etc etc, when the Govt. has the numbers to make it happen anyway.
Calling for public submissions is just a crock. A total waste of time and money. Just get it done, the sooner the better.
Stuart- have you asked Dunne?
Oh, and if you want a litmus test, as to the sensibilities of anything you may write, just run it past spud first. If he gives you the thumbs up, rethink it.
earth to tory nitpickers…the shomozzle that is the child support system was introduced by the bolger/shipley govt… the results of that policy were always going to take time to show through… by 2006/7 it was becoming clear that the framework that had been introduced was actually driving families apart..if you would switch your brains on, you would know that moves toward redressing the balance could only be started once the reality was clear and present… if nz hadn’t been highjacked by the fascist cabal that masquerades as government, the changed necessary would no doubt have already been put in place…peter dunne was acutely aware of the issues around this well before the 2008 election… in other words,for the slow reader… he’s had WAY more than 2&1/2 years to do something positive… so the excuses don’t wash…
From Pointy-head to Potty-head that’ll be planking Dunne, no surprises there I hope Charles Chauvel rids us of this chameleon-like dinosaur.
@Oldlogger -a & b) Stuart’s never been an MP in power, he came in at the last intake.
Dunne was promising to do something about the Child Support System six years ago – pity the Labour Govt trusted this hopeless Revenue Minister to actually do something; and of course he has spent the years of the Tory Govt doing as little as possible, because it ‘wasn’t a priority’. Now, Surprise! Surprise! just before an election he says he is doing something. It is a total con, just as he has done before.
Dunne is a do-nothing Minister and a turncoat – count up the number of parties he has been in since he accidentally came into Parliament when the Bob Jones Party split the vote in his seat all those years ago. Fortunately Charles Chauvel will send him packing this time, as Dunne has used up all his credibility.
@ ehoa – “he came in at the last intake.” well, yes he did, if the polls are anything to go by he’ll be leaving on the next one.
@bbfloyd – ” he’s had WAY more than 2&1/2 years to do something positive… so the excuses don’t wash…” I agree totally, like the nine years Labour had to fix mine safety, excuses indeed, do not wash.
This thread highlights the problem with Dunne, some pointed the finger at Labor over their time in Government, presumably forgetting Dunne was part of THAT Government, and still as Revenue minister.
Around election time he concentrates on trying to be relevant.
I wonder why he hasn’t tried the old “if a father isn’t paying child support he gets no other support from the state in any form, be it benefit or working for families or whatever”
@lou… read the whole comment.. with both eyes open… i’m sorry, i can’t simplify it any more than i have..maybe peter can
“have a look at it” for you, and give you a partial answer by at least 2015…
You state:
“Aside from the obvious contradiction there (‘not trying to please people… but about creating a system that people feel is fundamentally fair’: in my experience, people are pleased with a fair system, and not with one that isn’t)”
No. People are pleased with a system that gives them something for nothing. This is not fair.
It shows us how little you know about people, and how little you know about fairness.
Promises, promises, promises, as the partner of a non custodial parent I was hoping that the changes would be passed and come into effect before the current stupid outdated laws forced yet more NZ (mainly) fathers to depart these shores.
The liability on the part of the ncp is so heavily weighted towards them and tryinmg to get any sort of fairness out of a Govt dept that is full of feminists and fairy admin review officers is impossible. Consequently the men leave and in doing so have created the debt of $200 million and a further 1.8 billion in overdue fees to the Crown.
spot on toni, i have just been through admin review and what a scam, they had no intention of giving me a break.
i am simply paying more than the formula and now have to find money to go to the courts just to follow a simple formula!
i am getting further away from my children more so now they have moved away.
this all sucks and i am truely at my end.